Yummy vegan treats

I have always had a really sweet tooth and since changing to a vegan diet I have realized just how many desserts I can't eat :( I have only begun to experiment with recipes so I looked for some quick and easy sweet desserts/snacks.

The first one I found is from the grocery store Nyakers Authentic Swedish Ginger Snaps. They're so tasty and I am pretty sure they are also sold at Ikea under the name Anna's. They are cholesterol free, and trans fat free (even better).

The other treat that requires a little more effort than pulling out of a box, but still doesn't involve very much work, are baked apples.

Baked Apples

What you need:

4 Apples

8 tbsp Raw/brown sugar

2 tbsp vanilla

cinnamon (to taste)

water

What you do:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Get your apples and remove the cores

Get an oven safe dish and cover the bottom with about 1cm of water. Add vanilla into water.

Place the cored apples in the dish and put the 2 tbsp of sugar in each apple and sprinkle cinnamon as desired. Bake 10 to 12 mins.

Some people add walnuts, pecans, or even raisins as the picture shows.

I'm a Cheater

Shame on me. I cheated... and in a really big way, so disappointed. I was doing so well. This is what happens when your hungover. Okay, I'm gonna say it, I went out for dinner with my boyfriend and ordered a steak. I felt really disgusting after though, not only mentally, but physically. My stomach was bloated and I was really tired. I think I need to refresh my mind of the Skinny Bitch.

In the mean time, Alisa Miller at NursingDegree.net gives over 50 health benefits for going vegan. The entire list can be found here:
http://www.nursingdegree.net/blog/19/57-health-benefits-of-going-vegan/, here are just a few of them.

Reduced saturated fats. Dairy products and meats contain a large amount of saturated fats. By reducing the amount of saturated fats from your diet, you’ll improve your health tremendously, especially when it comes to cardiovascular health.

Cardiovascular disease. Eating nuts and whole grains, while eliminating dairy products and meat, will improve your cardiovascular health. A British study indicates that a vegan diet reduces the risk for heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Vegan diets go far in preventing heart attack and stroke.

Weight loss. A healthy weight loss is a typical result of a smart vegan diet. Eating vegan eliminates most of the unhealthy foods that tend to cause weight issues. Read more about weight loss and a vegan diet here.

Energy. When following a healthy vegan diet, you will find your energy is much higher. This blog post in Happy Healthy Long Life describes how NFL tight-end Tony Gonzalez started eating vegan and gained energy–while playing football.